(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Southern Utah University women's volleyball suffered a three-set defeat at Portland State on Thursday night. The loss drops the T-Birds to 3-23 overall on the year and 2-13 in the Big Sky. PSU maintained its second-place spot in the league, moving to 12-3 in the Big Sky and 15-10 overall.

The Thunderbirds fell behind 5-1 early in the first set, but used their own 5-1 run later in the frame to take their first lead 10-9. PSU countered with a three-point run to take back the lead, 12-10, but a Viking error on the next rally pulled the T-Birds within one, 12-11. However, it was as close as Southern Utah would come as a six-point run by the home side created a strong enough buffer that would carry the Vikings to the 25-19 victory.

Southern Utah was up on five separate occasions in the second set, but its final lead of 12-11 was erased by a three-point Portland State run, giving the Vikings a 14-12 advantage. PSU then finished the set on a 9-1 run to take a 2-0 lead with the 25-15 result.

A similar scenario played out in the third as the Thunderbirds' final lead of 11-10 disappeared by way of a four-point run by the Vikings, shifting the lead to PSU, 14-11. A Hailey Moore kill cut the margin to two, 14-12, but Southern Utah's attack stalled at 14 points as the Vikings put together a five-point run to take a 21-14 lead. SUU used a Portland State service error to fight off the Vikings' first match point at 24-15, but a closing kill by the home side gave them the victory 25-16.

Southern Utah will return to the court tomorrow night when the Thunderbirds play at Eastern Washington. The match in Cheney, Wash. is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (MT) with live stat and live video links available online at www.suutbirds.com.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Southern Utah University women's volleyball suffered a three-set defeat at Portland State on Thursday night. The loss drops the T-Birds to 3-23 overall on the year and 2-13 in the Big Sky. PSU maintained its second-place spot in the league, moving to 12-3 in the Big Sky and 15-10 overall.

The Thunderbirds fell behind 5-1 early in the first set, but used their own 5-1 run later in the frame to take their first lead 10-9. PSU countered with a three-point run to take back the lead, 12-10, but a Viking error on the next rally pulled the T-Birds within one, 12-11. However, it was as close as Southern Utah would come as a six-point run by the home side created a strong enough buffer that would carry the Vikings to the 25-19 victory.

Southern Utah was up on five separate occasions in the second set, but its final lead of 12-11 was erased by a three-point Portland State run, giving the Vikings a 14-12 advantage. PSU then finished the set on a 9-1 run to take a 2-0 lead with the 25-15 result.

A similar scenario played out in the third as the Thunderbirds' final lead of 11-10 disappeared by way of a four-point run by the Vikings, shifting the lead to PSU, 14-11. A Hailey Moore kill cut the margin to two, 14-12, but Southern Utah's attack stalled at 14 points as the Vikings put together a five-point run to take a 21-14 lead. SUU used a Portland State service error to fight off the Vikings' first match point at 24-15, but a closing kill by the home side gave them the victory 25-16.

Southern Utah will return to the court tomorrow night when the Thunderbirds play at Eastern Washington. The match in Cheney, Wash. is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (MT) with live stat and live video links available online at www.suutbirds.com.